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Substance Abuse Treatment Programs for Adolescents in Pennsylvania

Family First Adolescent Services offers treatment for the most problematic, common and complex mental and behavioral health issues that affect teens from Pennsylvania today. Our treatment offers a teen-centric approach that taps into each client’s creativity, vitality and sense of community.

Facts About Adolescent Substance Use

Adolescent substance use is a family disease. When you discover that your child is using drugs or alcohol, it is perfectly normal to experience an onslaught of painful emotions. It is also normal to be flooded with questions that don’t have immediate answers. Try to maintain a level head. Laying blame on yourself or your child is not productive and could potentially make matters worse.

The overwhelming majority of adults who are addicted to drugs or alcohol started using before the age of 18.

20% of teens report having a friend that misuses prescription drugs.

According to researchers, there is a high correlation between underage alcohol consumption and cocaine use later in life.

By 8th grade, 17% of teens have smoked marijuana.

Most prescription drugs misused by teens were taken from the medicine cabinets of family or friends.

In the United States, the average age of heroin addicts in addiction treatment centers is 23 years old.

With opioid-related deaths reaching plague-like proportions, parents from Pennsylvania must be extra vigilant. According to the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), over 47,000 of the 70,000 drug-related deaths in 2017 were due to opioids.

What's worse, adolescents are among the most affected demographic regarding abusing and even dying from opioid overdoses. New studies, like the Yale School of Medicine, are eye-opening and terrifying new perspectives on a truly grisly epidemic our teens currently face. According to Yale's research, opioid death rates among teens have tripled over the last two decades. Their study, which gathered data from 1999-2016, found that in all, 9,000 teens between the ages of 12 and 17 died due to opioid overdose.

Other similar studies show that not only are overdoses on the rise among teens, including those from Pennsylvania, widespread usage of the dangerous substance is also on the rise. According to the CDC, over 276,000 US teens used some form of opiate for 'non-medical' reasons. Of those quarter of a million teens, over 122,000 were found to be addicted to opioids. According to their report, the CDC states that the opioid issue is only getting worse among teens with opioid addiction rates increasing 19 percent between 2014 and 2015.

Alcohol -

While the opioid addiction may seem overwhelming, the truth is, alcohol remains to be the deadliest and widely used substances to date. The most recent studies from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) states that approximately 5,000 young people, under the age of 21, die as a result of underage drinking, each year.

More specifically, underage drinking fatalities breakdown like this:

1,600 by way of homicide

300 from suicide

Hundreds of others from additional injuries such as falls, burns, and drownings

Additional facts relating to underage drinking (according to the CDC):

30% of high school students admit to drinking at least one time in the past month

8% of 8th graders admit to drinking at least some alcohol during that same time

In seniors, nearly two-thirds admit to drinking recreationally

In 2013, there were approximately 119,000 emergency room visits related to underage drinking.

People aged 12–20 drink 11% of all alcohol consumed. More than 90% of that consumption is in the form of binge drinking.

Hard Facts: Addiction experts ubiquitously agree that teens who suffer from opioid or alcohol-related abuse or addiction issues require intensive, residential treatment. In other words, when it comes to an epidemic as tragically widespread as opioid and alcohol addiction/fatalities, merely seeking outpatient-based treatments for an addicted teen from Pennsylvania would most likely end in tragic consequences.

As we have covered thus far, substance abuse and addiction among teens has reached epidemic levels and must be treated with treatment that is as intensive as the substances themselves. However, with a rise in addiction among teenagers, so too has the number of residential treatment facilities around the US - not all of which are reputable or effective in treating dangerous addictions as they may claim to prospective, desperate parents. With that said, it is imperative for parents from Pennsylvania seeking rehabilitation for their addicted child to do their due diligence in their research in any potential program they may choose for their son or daughter.

We help families create a roadmap towards sustainable healing with ongoing continuing care support for up to a year or more after a teen completes residential treatment. Call (800) 881-9945

Mental Health Counseling in Pennsylvania for Troubled Youth

Many families from Pennsylvania who are seeking help, have made Family First Adolescent Services their first choice for their troubled child who may be experiencing substance abuse (including marijuana), behavioral misconduct, or clinical depression related issues. Here at Family First AS, our therapists understand the common issues that troubled teens from Pennsylvania are faced with every day; and we offer help to our students, so they can recognize and deal with their social-related problems in a way that is both healthy and productive. Our robust outdoor recreation and adventure therapy programs rely on connection, trust, and respect; thus inspiring an internally motivated restoration that lasts a lifetime.

The therapeutic program at Family First AS is in a natural setting, giving a serene environment free of distractions. The objective here at Family First AS is to assist, guide, and coach parents with a vulnerable and struggling child; through an incredibly difficult time. Family First AS is here to help parents and struggling teens from Pennsylvania! There is hope... and you are not alone. Family First AS’ vision is to facilitate restoration and peace; all while recovering the emotional and mental health of teenagers from Pennsylvania. We strive to see your struggling child make a triumphant and full transition into an independent adult, living a life of happiness and dignity.

Contact Family First AS today at (833) 241-7746 to speak with one of our expert family advocates. They are readily available to answer any questions about our enrollment fees, insurance affiliations, and proximity to Pennsylvania. Make Family First AS and their therapeutic boarding school a life-changing and memorable experience for both your family and your troubled child.